2050 Calculator Project (UK)

“The policy problem facing the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in 2009 was immense. The Climate Change Act had just brought in the world’s first legally-binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The UK had to cut 80 percent of emissions by 2050, taking 1990 levels as a baseline.”

Here is an interesting DECC blog on their 2050 Calculator Project which is open to the public, that seeks to examine (and model) the different ways the UK would transition to the mandated low carbon economy.

The 2050 Calculator Project is here.

Mineral Products Health and Safety Hub

The UK Mineral Products Association has a useful Health and Safety websource – here.

Here is a useful video from their library.

Work at Height Guidance for Small Operators (Britain)

Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has overhauled its guidance for small companies and individuals. Information on this overhaul is here.

ACoPs and HSGs are unchanged.

The overhauled guidance comprises:

(1) Basic advice for those working at height – here.

(2) Common work at height myths – here.

(3) Information on the Do’s and Don’t’s – here.

Edoc is Live (UK)

My post on Edoc (the UK online paperless system for waste transfer notes) is here.

Edoc is live and can be accessed here.

Please note: it is not mandatory to use edoc, but the regulator may prefer that you sign up and use it.

National Electronic Duty of Care (edoc) Programme

My earlier post on the Red Tape Challenge is here.

This is the information published today by the Cabinet Office – http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/

It can be seen from the infographic, that paper waste transfer notes will no longer be needed.

In fact, Edoc is a 4 year programme to develop a national, internet-based system to monitor the collection, transportation and disposal of waste materials across the UK, co-financed by the EU LIFE+ programme, rolled out from January 2014.

Information on edoc is here.

Reminder – Health and Safety Poster Expiry (UK)

The 1999 poster or leaflet must be replaced with the 2009 poster or leaflet no later than 5 April 2014.

This is the new poster.

5th April 2014 is the final date of the 5 year transition period. Employers were still complying with the law if they displayed the 1999 poster after 6 April 2009. However, where employers have kept the old poster, there is a continuing duty, in the period up to April 2014, to keep the required additional written information up to date.

The additional information that employers have to provide in writing, either by inserting this in the appropriate boxes on the 1999 poster or by giving it to workers with the 1999 leaflet, is:

– the name and address of the enforcing authority; and
– the address of the office of HSE’s Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS) for the premises concerned.

Subscribers to our paid-for Cardinal Email Alerts will be issued with an Email Alert nearer the time.

Proposals to Consolidate Petroleum Legislation (UK – GB)

The following are the existing GB Laws and ACoPs:

Statute Laws
– Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928
– The Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles, etc) Regulations 1929
– The Petroleum (Mixtures) Order 1929
– Petroleum (Transfer of Licenses) Act 1936
– The Petroleum (Liquid Methane) Order 1957
– The Petroleum (Regulation) Acts 1928 and 1936 (Repeals and Modifications) Regulations 1974
– The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 (Enforcement) Regulations 1979
– The Petroleum Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982

ACOPs
– COP6 – Petroleum-Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982. Requirements for testing and marking or labelling
– L93 – Approved tank requirements. The provisions for bottom loading and vapour recovery systems of mobile containers carrying petrol
– L133 – Unloading petrol from road tankers

The proposal is to repeal/revoke all existing GB petroleum legislation and consolidate and modernise those provisions that will be maintained into a single set of new petroleum regulations.

Consultation ends on 7th February 2014.

Subscribers to the paid-for Cardinal EHS Tailored Registers services will have the changes loaded automatically.

Wind Energy Development Guidelines Review (Ireland)

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is conducting a targeted review of its Wind Energy Development Guidelines in relation to noise, proximity and shadow flicker (public consultation ends February 21st 2014).

The relevant sections of the existing guidelines will be updated – here are the proposed changes.

There will also be a number of technical appendices developed over the coming months to assist planning authorities in relation to noise assessment, monitoring and the setting of planning conditions.

All other sections of the existing guidelines will be kept unchanged.

Revisions to the Guidelines are to be finalised and issued to planning authorities under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Falsification of Report of Thorough Examination of Lifting Equipment (Fine)

A Thorough Report of Examination of Lifting Equipment is a written report of systematic and detailed examination of equipment and safety-critical parts, carried out at specified intervals by a competent person. A Thorough Report of Examination must contain the information required by LOLER Schedule 1, including:
– the examination date,
– the date when the next thorough examination is due,
– any defects found which are (or could potentially become) a danger to people.

Where serious defects are identified, the competent person carrying out the examination must immediately report this verbally to the dutyholder. This should then be followed by the written report, a copy of which must also be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.

Here is the link to INDG422, the HSE guidance on Thorough Examination of Lifting Equipment.

In December 2013, a businessman, who supplies workplace vehicles and lifting equipment, was fined for falsifying a safety document for a forklift truck. Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court was told that the supplier intentionally made a false entry on the Report of Thorough Examination – he had put the name of a genuine forklift truck supplier at the top of the report and forged a genuine examiner’s signature at the bottom.

The HSE press release is here.

Pyrite Resolution Board (Ireland)

The Pyrite Resolution Board is appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to establish a scheme for the Remediation of significant damage to dwellings caused by pyritic heave and to oversee and ensure the effective implementation of a programme of remediation works for affected dwellings.

The relevant legislation is the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013, published 7 January 2014.

The draft scheme is being finalised in accordance with the legislation and is subject to the approval of the Minister.

Here is the link to the Pyrite Resolution Board Frequently Asked Questions.

Background:

Pyritic heave is problem that to affects newer properties in County Dublin, Kildare, Offaly and Meath, first identified as being caused by the presence of reactive pyrite in quarry waste used as hardcore to backfill under the floors of houses in 2007. Ireland’s new house warranty provider Home Bond first saw the effects of the problem in 2005 and initially repaired affected properties. But in August 2012 Home Bond withdrew cover for homeowners, which led to the launch of a government report into the problem.

The government report estimates that over 12,000 properties are at risk of pyritic heave and only 1,100 had been remediated.

In addition to new NSAI standards, the government also announced that it would establish a Pyrite Resolution Board to operate a remediation scheme through a special purpose vehicle, funded initially by an upfront loan of €50M from six banks and mortgage providers. The loan would be repaid from a mandatory levy to be imposed on the quarrying and insurance sectors.